Romano's woes
by An Angel Flying with broken wings
Summary: On Italy and Romano's birthday the elder brother is pushed too far and snaps. Entering a self induced coma he finally gets what he's always wanted as a child; time alone with his grandfather. Italy and the other nations are worried and want to wake him but will they be able to? Will Romano be willing to wake up? Will he see how much he is loved? YAOI! WILL HAVE HAPPY ENDING! R&R!
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Hetalia, why would I be writing fan fiction if I did own it?

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Romano AKA Lovino Vargas sighed as he sat by his bedroom window smoking a cigarette. He hated this day more than any other in the year; his and his brother's birthday. He could hear his brother and his friends setting up a birthday party which he guessed was for the younger of the two since no one cared that it was his birthday too. It had always been this way as far as he knew. Everyone just _adored_ his little brother and it pissed him off. It was this that caused him to try to get Germany away from his little brother, to make Italy taste a bit of the sorrow and heartbreak he had lived with for most of his life.

He blinked when his cell phone went off.

"Hello?" he asked after picking up.

"Hello is this Lovino Vargas?" came a man's voice from the other end.

"**Si**, this is him. What do you want?" he asked slightly annoyed that someone was bugging him.

"Sir, we found something with your name on it, literally, in the coliseum and we think you should come see it right away," said the caller.

Romano sighed, at least it would get him out of the house, "Fine. I'm coming."

He hung up, grabbed his keys and started to head out.

"**Fratello**, where are you going?" asked the Northern half of Italy watching his brother head for the door.

"Out," was the only reply he got before his twin shut the door behind him.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea Itary-san," said Japan asked as he put down a bowl of snacks for guests who were going to attend the party for _both _brothers.

Italy looked at his Asian friend, "Vee? Why would you say that?"

"Did you even tell your brother that the party was for you _both_?" asked the black haired male.

"It's a surprise for him!" the younger Italian said with a grin.

Germany and Japan looked at each other, worried about what would happen when Romano returned.

Meanwhile in another part of Italy; Romano got out of his car near a research center in Rome. He hated being in the capital. Not only was it his Grandfather's city but it was a place of bitter memories for him. He sighed as he followed one of the researchers into the building wondering what the item could be. The man finally opened a door showing a room with a table containing a wooden trunk. Romano looked it over and found his name craved on the lid.

"The carbon dating says it's from the late days of the Roman Empire," said one of the other researchers.

Could this be a gift from his grandfather? Or be full of unsent letters from the long dead empire? He bit his lip and opened the trunk only for what little bits of his heart that were still whole to shatter into dust, all but one little bit.

Inside was just his grandfather's old armor…nothing else. Romano frantically dug around looking for a note, some explanation…but there was none. Romano knew what this was meant for…defending his brother. He slammed the lid shut, grabbed the trunk and carried it to his car. He drove home in silence, his anger and heartbreak festering inside him. He pulled up noticing there were several cars in the area, the party had started. He walked inside, frowning.

"Fratello! You're back!" Italy said with a smile.

Standing beside his twin was the only person Romano thought had cared about him…Spain, holding a single present…

He snapped, that one little bit of his heart crushed. The older of the two stomped over to the cake and dropped the trunk on top of it not even noticing his own name on it, making the guests gasp.

"Romano? What are you doing?!" cried Spain as Italy stared at what his brother had just done.

He turned to the other nations, "What do you care? None of you even know me since I am never asked to attend the world meetings…I've had enough! All my life everything has been all about my stupid, wimpy, attention stealing, grandfather hogging, little ass hole of a brother!"

He then stormed past the others to his room, kicking over the present table and a few chairs.

The other nations were too shocked to move…they had never seen Romano so mad before. Austria was the first to move opening the trunk and gasping.

Other nations came to look too. Italy was shocked, what was this? Was this all his grandfather had left his brother?

Over the next few weeks Italy would bring Romano food and water on a tray since the elder had an en-suite bathroom and would pick up the dishes and empty bottles later. Until one day…the food was left untouched. Italy panicked and called Germany to break down the door since it was locked. What was inside made Italy's heart break. His big brother lay on the bed apparently asleep but he wouldn't wake up when shaken, he was still breathing so he was alive. In his hand he gripped a sheet of paper. Italy had never seen the inside of his brother's room before…it was as good as bare… No posters or pictures, no nick-knacks or personal treasures only a few books and journals on the shelves and an ashtray. Italy managed to pry the piece of paper from Romano as Germany called an ambulance. It read:

"_**Why doesn't anyone love me? What did I do wrong? All I wanted when I was little was just to spend some time with my grandpa just like Feliciano got to…I would sit by the window watching the horizon, watching for him and dreaming about what it would be like…what he would be like. How would he talk, how it would feel to have him hold me close if I had a bad dream. What it would be like to have him kiss a scrape I got running around like a normal little boy to make it feel all better. But I never will…He never came…He only cared about Feliciano, just like everyone else…Even Spain…I though he loved me but I should have known, he was just using me to try to get closer to my brother. I'm unlovable. Why am I that way I don't know. I built walls around what was left of my heart after Grandfather's death. After a while I started to let Antonio…no Spain in…I thought he might be different since he saved me from Turkey. I was a fool…"**_

Italy shook as he read the paper, that wasn't true, he Spain both loved Romano very much the present that Romano has seen Spain holding wasn't for Italy…it had been for Romano. Germany wrapped an arm around Italy as they watched a comatose Romano loaded into the ambulance. Tears running down the smaller man's face, tears for his brother.

After a week Romano's hospital room actually looked homier then his real one. The other nations brought get well and late birthday gifts. Spain visited every day, his gift; a cute little teddy bear dressed up to look like a tomato, tucked under Romano's arm.

"Lovi…please come back…" he would plead every night before he left kissing Romano's forehead.

_**TBC**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**In the depths of Romano's mind…**_

_Romano was so happy, he had woken up from a horrid nightmare, and then his grandfather came for him at last. Now they were spending their time playing, singing, gardening and just having fun together. He didn't care about that stupid "nightmare" anymore, where everyone seemed to love his little brother and there was no love left for him. He had all the love he could ever want. The little boy then curled up for a nap in his "Grandfather's" arms._

_**In the real World…**_

England looked at the two nations sitting across from him over the rim of his tea cup, "You came to _me_ for help? I thought neither of you believed in my magic."

"It's to save my **fratello**!" cried Italy, who had become an emotional wreck since Romano had been found in a coma.

England sighed, "How do you know he even _wants_ to be saved. As far as I can tell he seems happier in his mind then out here."

"You've been watching him since you heard about what happened haven't you?" said Germany.

The Brit nodded, "Apparently he thinks this world is just a nightmare that he woke up from as a small child then some bloke in armor and a blacked out face came on a horse. For some reason he seems to think it's your grandfather."

Italy frowned, "I didn't realize Grandpa hadn't spent any time with him…"

"Well apparently that's where this issue of everyone liking you better then him started. Of course some people didn't help make this any better since Spain tried to trade Romano back for you instead when he first got Romano under his control," the sandy haired man said sipping his hot drink.

Italy blinked, "He tried to switch us out? I didn't know that either."

Beside him Germany's frown deepened more and more, "Seems that the armor and mistaking that Spain's present was for Feli were the last straws."

"I should have told him the party was for us both!" Italy started to bawl.

Germany sighed and hugged his lover, "Sh, you were trying to do something nice for you brother. We'll get him back and you can plan him a welcome back party."

England continued, "I'm guessing his bad behavior was a way of getting attention since he clearly felt inferior to Feliciano in every other way. Tell me, have you ever given your brother a compliment?"

Italy blinked again, "No…not that I can recall…but I don't really know him well enough to give him one that would be sincere. I remember he asked me to give him once and it caught me off guard."

"But what effects could there be to Lovino staying in this dream world of his?" asked Germany trying to keep Italy from feeling worse.

England put his tea cup down looking grave, "I fear that if he stays in there he could be tempted to go to…what would be the best way to put this? The Land of the Dead, I guess is the best thing to call it in this case. Romano knows that the real Rome is dead even if his dream self believes that most of his life was a nightmare. The image of Rome he created will try to lure him into the "Land of the dead" so Romano can try to confront the real Rome. Sadly I don't know where his soul will turn up if this happens and he will be brain-dead in our world and there will be nothing more we can do."

"We have to wake him up!" cried Italy slamming his hands on the table.

"And how do you suppose we convince him to? He was unhappy here. He felt unloved, unwanted, he thinks he has nothing here," England replied, knowing all too well the sting of unkind siblings.

"I'll dress up in the armor and you can use your magic to get me into his dream!" Italy said.

England sighed, "That won't work. 1) Since Romano is a child in his dream it's possible you'll turn into your childhood self too. 2) If he finds out that you lied to him to wake him up that could make his attitude worse. He could even become suicidal."

"Why would he do that?" asked Germany sipping his own tea.

"It seems that every time Feliciano's in danger…Ironically around that one beach, his grandfather shows up. I'm surprised that Rome hasn't shown up for his older grandson to be honest…unless he doesn't realize that Lovino's life is at stake. But look at the possibility from his point of view, to think that his grandfather finally came for him just to find out it was all a lie…do you really think he would be happy?"

"Vee…wouldn't the fact that I tried to save him matter to him at all?"

England shook his head, "Romano wants to be loved. Yes he would be grateful to you but a lie is a lie. It would hurt him. "

"Spain loves him very much," Germany points out, "As does Feli."

"The problem is that Romano thinks that Spain loves Italy _more_ than him. Italy, did Spain ever know what your birthday was before this year?" England asked.

Italy shook his head.

England nodded, "I see…Romano must have feared that Spain would ignore him on his birthday to fuss over you instead."

Italy frowned again, "I don't think fratello has ever celebrated his birthday…That's why I worked so hard on the party…I wanted it to be super special for him."

Germany rubbed Italy's back knowing the smaller male could start crying at any time.

England smiled a little, "The thought is very sweet. I'm sure that if he had known he would have been overjoyed that someone cared enough to throw him a party. But back to the topic at hand, I think the only person who can get him out of this is the _real_ Rome. He's the base cause of this heartache and he should be the one who starts to fix it."

Italy nodded, "I'll try to get him to come!"

Germany watched his lover get on his knees and pray for his grandfather to come see him, to help him. The blond may not have been fond of Romano but he didn't want the Southern half of Italy to die. True it would break Italy's heart if he did as it would Spain's but Romano was one of them, and Germany wasn't the type to let a fellow nation die so easily. He bet Italy would do anything to save his brother and he admired that about him. He just hoped Romano could be saved.

_**TBC**_


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Before we start this chapter I wanna thank my friend on Deviantart; Binditheskunk for helping me with a few things in this fic.

After a month of praying and hoping Rome finally appeared.

"Grandpa!" Italy cried happy to see his prayers answered, "What took you?"

Rome blinked at his younger grandson, "It's complicated and why did you call me?"

"Romano's in a self-induced coma and could become brain dead at any time," said Germany holding modern clothes in Rome's size, "Get changed. We're going to the hospital and waking him up."

_**Meanwhile in Romano's mind…**_

"_Lovino, I'm sorry to say I'm going to have to go away soon," the fake Rome told the little boy._

"_I don't want you to grandpa!" Romano cried hugging his legs._

_The fake empire petted the little boy's head, "Do you want to come with me?"_

"_Can I think about it a bit?" he asked._

_The fake nodded._

_**In the real world...**_

Many of the other nations were at the hospital, most of the younger ones wanted to see the "great" Roman Empire, the older ones wanted to give him dirty looks for causing this, though several of the younger nations joined in on this. They all felt a pang of guilt for not seeing how depressed Romano was sooner, but as he said they didn't know him that well. Italy nearly winced when he saw the state Spain was in. The older nation hadn't shaved in days and he had bags under his eyes but he still glared at Rome.

"Why?" he said, "Why did you never show Lovi the attention he wanted and needed…just a single day would have been enough for him…Just one day with you was all he ever asked for!"

Rome sighed, "I guess you should know….By the time Lovino and Feliciano were born I had already started to fall. I wanted Lovino to grow up strong and unafraid…I didn't want him to see me at my weakest. Feli already had fears and was younger so I figured I should try to make my last days happy."

"And the armor?" piped up Italy.

"I left that for him so he would be safe in battle. I admit I didn't know how warfare would evolve or when it would be located."

The other nations looked at each other.

"He thought the armor was supposed to be used in battle to protect his brother. It didn't help that there wasn't a note or anything that implied the true purpose of your so called gift," said Germany.

Rome frowned, he didn't realize that his actions would hurt his elder grandson so much. He thought that Romano would be safe and happy without him, not waiting day and night for him. All the poor boy had wanted was just one day with him at the very least…one day of love and fun.

"He's never even celebrated his birthday," Italy piped up, "Course he never told Spain and shut himself in his room every year on it…"

Rome just stared at his elder grandson, tears starting to fill his eyes at all the pain he had unintentionally caused. He had to make it up to him, he had to make this right, and he would make it right.

He gently stroked the young man's dark brown hair, "I came for you…I'm sorry I took so long…just wait a little longer…"

England looked up from where he, Romania and Norway were setting up the spell they needed, "We're ready. Italy, Rome, please lay down here and we'll get started."

The two nodded and did as they told, closing their eyes before entering Romano's dream/mindscape.

_**In Romano's mind…**_

_The fake Rome looked up as the real one and a chibi version of Italy hurried over._

"_Seems we have company," he said walking towards them._

_Romano looked up to see who it was but his view was blocked by fakes of the other nations of the world._

"_**F-**__mph!" Italy tried to call to his elder sibling but his mouth was covered by a shadowy hand._

_More of these grabbed him and Rome, keeping them away from Romano as the fake nations started to chuck things at him and jeer._

"_You can't paint!" snapped the fake Prussia._

"_Can't carry a tune in a freaking bucket," added the fake Hungary._

_The fake Austria crossed his arms, "Can't even clean."_

"_You're a coward," snipped the phony France._

"_Fake!" yelled Holy Rome._

_The fake Canada just shook his head, "Some people just can't be helped."_

_It got worse for the little boy version of Romano as the fake Spain threw a rotten tomato that splattered all over his head and hair, "Everyone loves your brother! You're an unlovable…how would you put it? Bastard! An unlovable bastard!"_

_Tears poured down Romano's face as he tried to clean himself up protesting weakly that grandpa loved him. Then the fake Chibi Italy stepped forward, the real one straining to get free to try to help his brother._

"_I'm the _real _Italy, you're just a spare! A worthless, unneeded spare who just takes up space."_

_Romano covered his ears and screwed his eyes shut, "_Leave me alone!_"_

_All the fakes vanished except the fake Rome who walked to Romano and helped him clean himself._

"_Oh my poor little Romano…no one else truly cares about you do they? They just played with your emotions…Why not just let go. Come with me and I can help make all the pain and sorrow go away…" the false Rome held his hand out to Romano just as the real one broke free._

"Get away from **my** grandson!" _he yelled punching the fake in the face._

_Romano blink confused then Italy hugged him, "Its ok! We came to save you from that phony you created with your mind!"_

_Romano's eyes narrowed before he pushed his brother away, "Don't lie to me…"_

_To the other two's surprise the world around them slowly turned into a waste land, the trees looked petrified, all the grass and flowers were gone for the most part. Both brother's returned to their true age and the fake grandpa Rome took the look of a grim reaper instead._

"_**F-fratello?**__" Italy asked, his brother's eyes hidden by his hair._

"_Lovino!" Rome yelled to him._

"_Shut up you fake! I know why you are here. Feli dreamed you up in order to get me to wake up so he wouldn't have to feel guilty when I pass on! I know that I wasn't wanted! I feel like a villain in a fairy tale…I get one little taste of happiness and then it's taken from me! I wasted my life waiting for someone who never loved me!" he then started to poke his twin in the chest, "I used to be like you! I cleaned my home, cooked…I was hopeful…I was foolish…_While you got everything! I just wanted a little love! Some praise! _I started to act out because it seemed to be the only way I could get any freaking attention from _anyone!_"_

_Tears fell from his eyes as he walked towards "Death"._

"_Don't!" Italy cried running after him and wrapping his arms around his brother, "I don't want you to go!"_

"_What about what _I_ want?"_

_Rome walked over to Romano and put a hand on his shoulder, "What _do_ you want?"_

"_Nothing that you can give me. You're not my real grandfather…you're not Antonio either…I want to feel loved…I can't get my wasted childhood back but I at least want someone to love me more then they love my brother…to not be the one pushed aside…"_

_Rome hugged his older grandson, "I'm sorry I hurt you…I didn't want you to see me at my weakest and become afraid…I didn't realize that I doing so would make you so sad… I do love you…so very much…" he then started to sing a song he used to sing to the boys when they were very little, before they had been separated, tears falling into Romano's hair._

_Romano was ridged in the older man's embrace but blinked as he heard the song…he knew this song…somehow…It sounded familiar but he couldn't place it. Slowly he relaxed in the older man's arms._

"_Please…wake up…everyone's waiting for you…and I want to make it up to you…England said he could help me…but only if you wake up…" Rome said kissing his head, "Please."_

_**Real world…**_

Spain watched happily as Romano's eyes fluttered open. Rome and Italy sat up smiling. The now awake southern half of Italy was confused, there was something fuzzy rubbing his arm and there were a lot of other nations there smiling at **him**_._

Rome hugged his older grandson close, "Told you I would be here for you when you woke up."

"Grandpa…" Romano's voice was hoarse and scratchy.

Italy grabbed a glass of water with a straw and offered it to his brother smiling as he took a big sip then panicking when he started coughing because he drank too fast. Spain rubbed his back as Rome adjusted the bed so Romano could sit up. Romano looked around surprised at everything that was in the room just for him.

"We hope you like what we got you. Some of it is your birthday gifts/cards and others are get well gifts/cards," pointed out America.

Romano picked up the bear and looked from it to Spain, "Cute."

He didn't say any more since his throat was still on the dry side despite his sipping water.

"I know it's late but…happy birthday Lovino. I hope you like your present," Spain replied kissing his cheek.

Romano's face turned bright red as he hugged the bear, he loved it. He took in Spain's appearance and was shocked, he needed a shave and a good night's sleep. Maybe a shower too since something really stunk though that could have been England's spell or him.

Rome sat by him, "When you're better well have our fun time, I promise."

Romano held out his pinkie making Rome blink.

"He wants you to pinkie promise, _Nonno,_" explained Italy smiling.

Rome then linked his pinkie with Romano's making him smile.

"Now we need to get some food into you, nothing too heavy since we don't want to make sick," Spain piped up.

"Shave," Romano told him pointing at his face.

Everyone laughed.

_**TBC**_


End file.
